Framlingham Castle is a magnificent 12th century fortress with a long and colourful past, An early motte and bailey Norman castle was built on the Framlingham site by 1148, but this was destroyed by Henry II in the aftermath of the revolt of 1173-4. Its replacement, constructed by the Earl of Norfolk, was unusual for the time in having no central keep, but instead using a curtain wall with thirteen mural towers to defend the centre of the castle. Once the refuge of Mary Tudor before she became Queen in 1553 and converted to a local Poorhouse from 1636 for the less fortunate.